On August 25, 2017, Hurricane Harvey made landfall in Rockport, Texas as a Category 4 hurricane. Over the following week, it delivered over 50 inches of rain to the Gulf Coast and caused over $180 billion in damage. The floodwaters posed a number of threats to the environment and human health; one of which being the provision of high-quality drinking water. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality reports that 61 public-water systems were rendered inoperable or even destroyed at the height of the storm and more than 200 systems had to issue boil-water notices. Since an increased frequency and severity of extreme weather events is predicted for the future, a need exists to improve the understanding of drinking water quality following extreme weather events in order to expedite recovery efforts. This study monitored physical, chemical, and biological water quality in two Texas drinking water systems following Hurricane Harvey. Water samples were collected at the treatment plants and throughout the distribution systems of the two towns for approximately nine months following Hurricane Harvey. One of the towns treats and delivers its water within the town limits, while the other town purchases its water from a water district located about 20 km away from the town limits. Physical/chemical water quality analyses included turbidity, pH, anions, cations, chlorine (free, total, and monochloramine), trihalomethanes (THM), and total organic carbon (TOC). Biological water quality analyses included heterotrophic plate counts (HPC), total and fecal coliforms, and metagenomic assays. Results show initial surges in Natural Organic Matter (NOM), THMs, and HPC in treated samples immediately following Hurricane Harvey. Metagenomic assays indicate a dependence of the distribution system microbiome on distribution system characteristics (e.g., population served and water age), raw water quality (NOM), and disinfectant residual, among other factors. Chlorine burns that were performed during the recovery period led to re-establishment of the microbial communities in the distribution systems. While both systems experienced problems maintaining disinfectant residuals, stabilization of water quality occurred over time. Overall, this study provides an understanding of the difficulties associated with drinking water quality in the wake of a natural disaster and can be used to better prepare drinking water managers to combat changing weather patterns in the coming future.

Linking disinfectant residuals, metagenomics, and water quality during the recovery of two Texas drinking water systems following Hurricane Harvey

2019 Spring National Meeting

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.